A Place To Call Home
by Newgirl78
Summary: A trip to Chicago is just what Nick needs to figure out where he wants to go next.


It was a hot July day in Chicago. Nick had brought Jess back with him for a visit and surprised her with tickets to a Cubs game. She had enthusiastically listened to Nick talk about how Walt used to bring Winston and himself to games every summer, and how this spot behind first base was always their favorite. It warmed his heart that Jess was willing to share something like this with him. She had never really gotten into baseball before, but by the third inning, Nick could tell she was totally hooked. She had barely turned her head away from the game the entire inning.

The sun had begun to set just enough on the horizon, that the glare started to bother Jess. She reached up and snatched Nick's beat up old Cubs hat from his head and with a devious grin, plopped it on her own. At this point, Nick found it difficult to pay attention to the game. He became lost in memories of his dad and how much he wished he could have spent this day with him. He knew his dad had liked Jess from the moment they met, and he would have been so proud to bring this incredible woman home and prove to Walt how amazing his life had turned out. Nick was startled from his thoughts when the crowd went wild around them as the next at bat hit a home run. Jess was so excited that she turned to throw her arms around his neck in a tight squeeze. When she pulled back giggling, he looked at her in a way that caused her heart to skip a beat. Tilting her head to one side, she just squinted at him under the bill of the hat, her beautiful features falling into a worried frown.

"Nick, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." He shook his head and gave her a half smile. "It's just nice to be home."

Jess flashed him another brilliant smile and slid her hand down and under his arm to wind her fingers with his. Leaning her head on his shoulder, her attention returned to the game, but Nick's was obviously on something else entirely. He squinted in the sun and felt himself holding his breath. It was an unbelievable feeling having Jess here with him, legitimately enjoying something he had adored since childhood. The ways in which this woman continually made him feel loved were always knocking him off his feet. Sometimes he felt like he was just living life holding his breath, until one day when he would wake up and all this would have been just a dream. Every time he thought he knew every tiny bit of what made his girlfriend amazing, she would go and do something seemingly ordinary, and make him feel like he was the most important person in the world. She could always do that. No matter how small a gesture, Jess did it with so much passion and excitement, that he couldn't help but be sucked in by her happiness.

Almost as if she could read his thoughts, he felt her hand tighten in his and watched her thumb gently caress his skin. He glanced at the people around him and wondered if they could even imagine how lucky he felt. Shaking his arm a little he sat up and leaned forward. Catching Jess' eye as she turned to look at him, he ducked his head and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She let out a laugh as his forehead bumped into the hat resting on her head. Smiling at her, he straightened it out again, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as his finger trailed down her neck.

"I love you, Jess."

* * *

By the time they made it back to Bonnie's after the game, they were a hot, sticky mess. They laughed their way into the Miller house where Bonnie was waiting on the couch. She turned around to greet them when she heard them come in the front door.

"Looks like you two had fun."

Jess leaned into him, with one arm around Nick's back and the other reaching around the front to poke his belly. "I can't believe this one never convinced me to go to a baseball game before!"

Nick pulled her tighter against his side and shrugged. "I definitely will now."

Jess flipped the hat off her head and placed it back on Nick's, tapping his nose gently. Tugging her hair off her neck, she pulled it back into a sloppy ponytail with the hairband still on her wrist. Running her index fingers under her eyes, she sighed. "I could use some water. Do you mind if I get something to drink, Bonnie?"

"Oh," Bonnie started to stand up. "I'll get it for you, dear."

"No, no." Jess waved her back down. "You sit, I can get it." She smiled at Bonnie. "Would you like anything while I'm in there?"

"No, nothing for me, thank you."

Jess started to bounce to the kitchen and turned around to point at Nick, squinting one eye at him. "One root beer coming right up, mister."

Nick just smiled and nodded. Jess grinned widely at him and turned around, disappearing into the kitchen. Walking around to the front of the couch, Nick flopped down, laying his arms along the back. Bonnie just raised her eyebrows with a smile.

"That woman absolutely adores you, Nicky."

Feeling his face flush, he balked. "Ma!"

Bonnie leaned over and slapped his knee playfully. "Enjoy her, son. You don't find someone like that every day." She winked at him as she stood up, Nick watching her head toward the stairs. Just as she was about to ascend to her bedroom, she turned to Nick and lowered her voice. "Don't you let her get away."

Nick just shook his head, gently massaging the back of his neck, an embarrassed smirk on his face. Jess returned a minute later with a large glass of ice water and a can of root beer. Frowning, she sat down next to Nick, placing the drinks on the coffee table in front of them.

"Your mom left?"

"Yeah, she went upstairs."

"Oh." Slightly disappointed, she turned toward Nick, tucking her now bare feet under her and leaned her elbow on the back of the couch. "Hey, that game was amazing. I can't believe I never wanted to go to one before."

Nick cracked a small smile, lost in the way her excited eyes were locked on his. There was a moment of silence before he gave his head a small shake to snap himself out of his daze. Reaching out, he pulled her hand onto his lap and held it tightly.

"I'm glad you had fun."

"You've been so quiet today. Is everything okay?" Jess leaned her head down onto the back of the couch, her voice soft. "Is it weird to be home again?"

He thought for a moment, suddenly feeling like her question didn't quite make sense. There were so many things he had felt since bringing her here, and he couldn't quite put them into words. His voice cracked a little and he cleared his throat. Shifting to his side, he laid his head next to Jess', inches from her face and dropped her hand for a second, reaching up to run his knuckles over the soft skin of her cheek.

"Chicago isn't home anymore, Jess. You are."


End file.
